'In an effort to combat the evil of lavish spending for showy weddings, “Mass Marriages” have been popularized in recent years. For a nominal fee, so low that even the poorest clerk can almost afford it, the brides and grooms are provided with rented wedding clothes, flowers, a marriage certificate, and a group photograph. The marriage ceremony itself is performed by a civil officer, usually the local mayor, as each couple comes before him in turn (p. 244 E).'